Trump’s tough words receive mixed reaction
Japan backs speech, Iran slams ‘hate’
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s speech to the UN, in which he warned he would “totally destroy” North Korea if threatened, reinforced the need for Pyongyang to realise it must give up its nuclear weapons, South Korea said yesterday.
In a hard-edged speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump mocked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a “rocket man” for his repeated ballistic missile tests.
“We view the speech as portraying a firm and specific stance on the key issues regarding keeping peace and safety that the international community and the United Nations are faced with,” the office of South Korean President Moon Jae-in said yesterday.
“It clearly showed how seriously the US government views North Korea’s nuclear programme as the president spent an unusual amount of time discussing the issue,” the presidential Blue House said.
Trump’s speech “reaffirmed that North Korea should be made to realise denuclearisation is the only way to the future through utmost sanctions and pressure”, it said.
Moon came to power in May on a platform of more engagement with North Korea.
Since Pyongyang’s sixth and largest nuclear test on September 3, however, Moon has said the time is not right for dialogue.
He and Trump planned to meet in New York yesterday, Moon’s office said.
Trump’s most direct military threat to attack North Korea was his latest expression of concern about Pyongyang’s repeated weapons tests.
“The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea,” Trump told the 193-member world body.
“Rocket man is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime.”
US ally Japan, which Pyongyang often threatens to destroy, has taken a consistently hard line on North Korea, pushing for increased sanctions and pressure.
“We greatly appreciate President Trump’s approach to changing North Korea’s policy stance, denuclearising the country and calling on the international community, including China and Russia, for their co-operation toward strengthening pressure on North Korea,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters.
Meanwhile, Trump’s host of accusations against Iran in his UN speech was slammed by the Islamic Republic, who called the remarks “unworthy of a reply”.
“Trump’s ignorant hate speech belongs in medieval times – not the 21st century United Nations – unworthy of a reply,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted.
“Fake empathy for Iranians fools no one,” Zarif said.
Trump claimed that Iran is a “corrupt dictatorship hiding behind the guise of a democracy”.
Trump said that Iran, that has played a key role in supporting the Syrian government against the attacks of the Islamic State, have been “supporting terrorism”.
“Trump’s shameless and ignorant remarks, in which he ignored Iran’s fight against terrorism, displays his lack of knowledge and unawareness,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also rejected statements by Trump during his UN speech.
Trump warned that the US was weighing possible further actions against Venezuela. “We cannot stand by and watch,” he said.
“Venezuela is a building in New York, which can blackmail the owners of the building for sale, but Venezuela is not United States real estate,” Maduro said.
“The people of the United States are with the Venezuelan people,” Maduro said.